Thill-support



(No Model.)

0. E. BYRD. THILL SUPPORT.

No.452,634. Patented May 19,1891.

ORVAL E. BYRD,'OF ORAIVFORDSVILLE, INDIANA.

THlLL-SUPPORT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 452,634, dated May 19 1891.

Application filed October 29, 1890. Serial No. 369,687. (No model) To CLZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ORVAL E. BYRD, a citizen of Oraw'fordsville, in the county of Montgomery and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Attachments for Vehicles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. My invention relates to an improvement in attachments for vehicles, the object being to produce a simple and efficient device for maintaining the shafts of the vehicle elevated when not in use, and by means of which rattling of the parts when in use will be prevented.

A further object is to produce a device for the purpose stated which shall be of simple construct-ion, easy of application to any vehicle, and one which shall be effective in the performance of its functions.

With these objects in view the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, as hereinafter set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improvement,showing its application to the shaftof a vehicle for elevating the same. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the portions of the parts when the device is employed to prevent rattling when the vehicle is in use. Fig. 3 is a plan view.

A represents the axle of avehicle, to which a clip B is secured, the crossbar a of said clip being extended and provided with an elongated slot b, for a purpose presently explained. The clip B also carries a thill-coupling C, to which the thill or shaft D is connected in any preferred manner.

Passing through the shaft D at a point somewhat removed from the coupling C is a bolt E, having an eye I) at its upper end for the reception of one end of a spring F, said spring being provided with screw-threads at its end which passes through the eye Z), and provided with nuts 0 at each side of said eye. From its connection with the shaft D the spring F extends rearwardly and passes through the elongated slot Z) in the cross-bar a of clip B, being provided with a bent portion or shoulder e, for a purpose which will be explained farther on. The spring F, after passing through the slotb, is formed into a coil F, located under the axle, and its free end then bent forwardly and made in hook shape, as at F, and adapted to embrace the shaft D in proximity to the coupling 0 and bear on the top of said shaft, as shown most clearly in Fig. 3.

\Vhenthe vehicle is not in use and it is desired to maintain the shafts elevated, said shafts will be elevated manually until the spring F has passed through the slot 1) in the cross-bar a sufficiently to permit the shoulder e to engage the end of slot 1) of the crossbar a, whereby the shafts Will be maintained in an elevated position. \Vhen it is desired to use the vehicle. and therefore to lower the shafts or thills D, the spring F will be pressed inwardly until the shoulder ecan pass through the slot I), whereupon the shafts or thills can be readily lowered. In this position the spring F will bear against'th'e end wall of the slot 1) with considerable force and the hooked end F made to bear with considerable pressure upon the shaft in proximity to the coupling C. In this Way the coupling C will be effectually prevented from rattling.

Slight changes might be made in the details of construction of my invention without departing from the spirit thereof or limiting its scope. Hence I do not wish to limit myself to the precise details of construction herein described; but,

Having fullydescribed my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with the shafts and axle of a vehicle, of a spring adjustably secured to the shafts at one end, said spring being extended around the axle and at its other end provided with a hook-shaped portion to bear on the shafts, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the shafts and axle of a vehicle, of a slotted bar secured to the axle, a spring having a spiral turn therein, said spring secured at one end to the shafts and adapted to extend through said slotted In testimony whereof I have signed this bar and have a sliding movement therein, peeification in the presence of two subscribsaid spring being provided with a shoulder 11 witnesses. v v adapted to engage the end wail of the slot in 133L the slotted bar and extend around the axle and bear on the shafts, substantially as set forth.

Witnesses: V

Lamas. P. BYRD, W. H. OLIVER, Jr. 

